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Can a great recipe contain only two ingredients?

The answer is yes! For our New Years “family reunion” this one will take center stage. It’s been time-tested and given the seal-of-approval by all. Here is a list of my recipe’s finer qualities:

1. It’s wonderful.
2. It’s easy.
3. Leftovers are demanded rather than endured.
4. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
5. Cleanup is a breeze because it’s cooked and served from one pot.
6. Best of all, you will save lots of time with this one.

So here is my recipe for Barbecued Pork Tenderloin.

Ingredients:
One large pork tenderloin
1-2 bottles of BBQ sauce (depending on the size of the tenderloin)

Cut pork tenderloin into several pieces and place in a large crock pot. Set crock pot on low heat and cook for 10-12 hours. After meat is cooked, drain liquid from crock pot and break pork up into small pieces. It will be so tender that it falls apart with ease. Add BBQ sauce, mix, replace lid, and let set for about 15 minutes. Serve alone or on buns.

That’s it. Preparation time is minimal, cleanup is minimal, and if you purchased a large pork tenderloin, you will probably have enough for 3 or more meals, depending on your family’s size.

From a time perspective, this recipe is a win-win. Little time goes into preparation, and the result rewards you with several additional meals that only require a few minutes of reheat in the microwave. And the barbecued pork tenderloin is absolutely delicious every time.

Tip: I usually let the tenderloin cook overnight. In the morning, it’s ready for the sauce. Rather than letting it set, I simply put it into a large serving bowl and refrigerate it until mealtime.

This year my family is going to experiment with an additional step just for the fun of it. Before placing the meat in the crock pot, we’re going to give it about 5-10 minutes on the grill, capturing some of the hickory smoke flavor before beginning the cooking process. Sounds good to me.